When Mason County basketball star Darius Miller commited to Kentucky last week, you can be sure Tates Creek Coach Eric Williams and Lexington Catholic Coach Brandon Salsman were smiling. Miller’s announcement will mean bigger crowds for his appearances in Lexington in the coming months.
Mason County will open its season in the Commodore Classic at Tates Creek on Nov. 30-Dec. 1. The matchups haven’t been announced, but other teams involved will be Bryan Station, Henry Clay, June Buchanan, University Heights, Tates Creek, Berkmar, Ga., and Brentwood Academy, Tn. (I’m hoping for a Mason County-UHA game that would match Miller against Mississippi State-bound Scotty Hopson.)
Mason County will play in LexCath’s holiday tournament on Dec. 26-30. (Miller & Co. will just be back from Hawaii, so forgive them if they’ve got jet lag.) LexCath also has Mason County booked for the Nissan Shootout on Jan. 12 (against an out-of-state opponent), and the Knights will play host to the Royals on Jan. 18. (Miller is shown at left going against LexCath’s Jordan Smart and Nathan Novosel last year.)
Coach Chris O’Hearn’s Royals figure to draw crowds of Cat fans wherever they go this season. Their schedule also includes visits to Pikevlle on Dec. 15, and the Kentucky Prep Classic at Montgomery County on Jan. 19. Central Kentucky fans can also see Mason County and Miller play at Madison Central on Feb. 2, at Montgomery County on Feb. 5 and at Harrison County on Feb. 15.
There’s also a showdown with defending state champ Scott County and Indiana recruit Bud Mackey. That game is scheduled for Jan. 11 in Maysville.
Here’s Mason County’s 2007-08 schedule:
- Nov. 24: Tip-off Classic pre-season scrimmage at Sheldon Clark
- Nov. 30-Dec. 1: Commodore Classic at Tates Creek
- Dec. 7: Covington Catholic
- Dec. 14: Cov. Scott
- Dec. 15: Nashville Christ Presbyterian at East Ky. Expo Center in Pikeville
- Dec. 17-22: at Iolani Prep Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii
- Dec. 26-30: Lexington Catholic holiday tournament
- Jan. 1-5: Mason County Invitational Tournament
- Jan. 11: Scott County
- Jan. 12: Nissan Shootout at Lexington Catholic (opponent to be announced)
- Jan. 15: Campbell County
- Jan. 18: at Lexington Catholic
- Jan. 19: Kentucky Prep Classic at Montgomery Co. (opponent to be announced)
- Jan. 25: Henry Clay
- Feb. 1: at Rowan County
- Feb. 2: at Madison Central
- Feb. 5: at Montgomery County
- Feb. 8: Clark County
- Feb. 12: Elliott County
- Feb. 15: at Harrison County
- Feb. 22: Bryan Station
